Writing sign



July 14, 1953 R, J ADAMS 2,645,048

WRITING SIGN Filed Jan. 12, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN T OR.

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ATTD RN EYE R. J. ADAMS WRITING SIGN July 14, 1953 2 Sheets-"Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 12, 1949 INVENTOR. fjfydams ATTO RNEYS Patented July 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRITING SIGN Raphael J. Adams, Olympia, Wash.

Application January 12, 1949, Serial No. 70,533 1 Claim. (01. 40-130) to be alternately filled and emptied bymechanical means of an opaque fluid .having definite ends to the fluid column so that the movement of the fluid will give the effect of writing to the sign by apparent animation.

I The invention includes the means for pumping and controlling the fluid in sequential movement in the type to provide thedesired results.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one'complete exampleof the physical embodiment of my invention according to the best mode I have thus far devised, but it will be understood that various changes and alterations may be made in the exemplified structure within the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the sign showing the routes of movement for air and fluid.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view partially in section of the fluid filled tube.

Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views through the gas and fluid tubes and the supporting board.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a modified form of the pumping and supply means for the fluid tube.

Referring now to the drawings wherein I have illustrated the present preferred form of my invention, I use a neon gas filled tube 2 of the conventional type which may be fashioned into any suitable advertising form similar to the script shown.

This neon tube is secured in opaque walls 4 secured to the sign board 6 and the glass tube 8 is co-extensive with the tube 2 and is located between the walls and immediately in front of the neon tube.

In order to progressively show the illuminated neon tube I propose to move a body of opaque fluid through the tube 8 so that the. glowing tube will progressively be run simulating the writing of the script.

To accomplish this result I use an opaque fluid column 10 in tube 8 and the tube end 12 leads to a conical reservoir 13. A sponge rubber ball i4 is located in the tube 8 and follows the column clearing the inner wall of the tube and this ball floats on the top of the fluid body in the reservoir.

The other end [6 of tube 8 connects with cylinder l8 having a free piston 20, the free piston Pipe 34 carries air under pressuretocoupling 38 and pipe 40 carries air to valve casing 42 having valve 44 and its port 46 providing selective communication between vent 48 and pipe 50, with pipe 40. Pipe 50 connects with coupling 52 in pipe 36.

From coupling 38 pipe 54 carries air to the reservoir [3 and from couling 52 pipe 56 carries air to cylinder I8 while coupling 60 and pipe 62 communicate with cylinder 64 from which pipe 66 comiects with coupling 68 in pipe 54.

A piston 18 in cylinder 64 has a rod 12 which through pins 14 actuates the valve arms 16 slotted at 18, to rotate the valves 30 and 44 as the piston 70 reciprocates.

In use, when the motor and compressor are actuated, air will move through valve casing 28 and 44 so that the fluid ill will be moved through pipe 8 to the cylinder I8. Then, the piston ill will be actuated simultaneously and when the piston 10 reaches the end of its stroke and when the column has reached the cylinder I8 and the free piston 20 is in its raised position, then the valves are moved by the rod 12 so that the air pressure will be directed through the pipe 56 to the upper portion of the piston 20 to thereby return the fluid in the column to the reservoir 12.

The ball l4 effects a definite end to the column and also acts to clean the tube as it is forced therethrough. A fitting serves to connect the tube Hi to a conduit 86 which communicates with the lower end of the cylinder I8. The valve casing 42 is provided with the port 48, and a further pair of spaced ports 81 and 88. The other valve casing 28 is provided with a plurality of spaced openings or ports 89, 90 and 9|. A

, conduit 92 extends from the fitting 60 to the top of the cylinder l8, and a tube section 93 leads from the fitting 68 to the top of the reservoir [3.

In use, the motor 22 may be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy to operate the air compressor 24. With the parts positioned, as shown in Figure 1, air from the compressor 24 passes through the pipe 25, then through the port 89, and then through the passageway I 32 and through the port 9| and into the tube 34.

This air under pressure then passes through the fitting 38, through the tube 54 and through the tube 93 into the top of the reservoir l3. This causes the fluid in the reservoir I3 to be forced through the bottom of the reservoir [3 through the tube l2 and then through the pipe 8, next through the tube l6, through the fitting 85 and into the lower end of the cylinder l8 whereby the piston 20 is raised upwardly.

Simultaneously, some of the compressed air is passing through the fitting 68 through the pipe 66 to the left end of the cylinder 64 so that the piston 10 is moved from left to right, Figure 1, and this causes the rod 12 to be shifted whereby the rods 16 swing in a clockwise direction to shift the valves 30 and 44 in their respective casings. With the parts in this last named posi-- tion, the compressed air from the pipe 26 now passes through the tube 26, through the valve casings, and into the pipe 56 and from the pipe 56, the air goes through the fitting 60 so that some of the compressed air enters the top of the cylinder 18 to force the piston downwardlyi As the piston 20 moves downwardly in the cylinder 18, the fluid will be forced in a reverse'direction through the tube 8 and back through the tube I2 to the reservoir l3. Simultaneously, a portion of the compressed air will pass through the fitting 69, through the tube 62 and into the right end of the cylinder 64 to move the piston Ill from right to left, Figure 1. This cycle of operation is continuously repeated so that the fluid passing through the tube 8 creates the eifect or illusion of the sign being written.

In Fig.5 the need for the valves and air compressor is eliminated by means of pulley drive 4 12 for belt 14 which drives the wheel 16 having an eccentric pin 18 driving the articulated piston rod 19. Thus the piston 10 moves the air through pipes and 82 to the reservoir l3 and cylinder l8 alternately, the air also moving the fluid column as described.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

An advertising sign for simulating script writing comprising a neon tube, a hollow tube having the same configuration as said neon tube and arranged in front of the latter, an opaque fluid column adapted to move through said hollow tube, a floatable ball adapted to move through said hollow tube, and means for sequentially moving the fluid column in reverse directions through the hollow tube, said means comprising an air compressor, a motor for operating said air compressor, conduit means for conducting air from said compressor to said fluid column, and valve means for controlling the direction of flow of air through said conduit means.

RAPHAEL J. ADAMS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,797,508 Lawrence Mar. 24, 1931 1,835,311 Krakau Dec. 8, 1931 1,925,155 Sanders Sept. 5, 1933- 1,951,252 Michaelsen Mar. 13, 1934 2,029,183 Mukasa Jan. 28, 1936 2,252,124 Hanson Aug. 12, 1941 

